12 arrested in gang sweep

STOCKTON - A gangland sweep Wednesday rounded up leaders of what police are calling one of Stockton's most notorious gangs.

Zachary K. Johnson

STOCKTON - A gangland sweep Wednesday rounded up leaders of what police are calling one of Stockton's most notorious gangs.

The months-long investigation ended in a series of raids spanning the streets of Stockton, a home in Los Angeles and a cell in San Quentin State Prison, according to the Stockton Police Department. By the end of the day, 12 people were arrested on suspicion of committing a host of crimes, from robbery to human trafficking to gang-related offenses.

Among them were leaders of the Sutter Street Crips, a gang operating in the neighborhoods around California and Park streets.

The gang has been a "menace" to the community, and Wednesday's action showed the Police Department's commitment to stopping violence, Police Chief Eric Jones said in a statement.

The enforcement was part of the city's Operation Ceasefire, a method of targeting violent crime by focusing on the city's most violent groups. It's a double-pronged approach to combating violence.

It starts with "call-ins," when gang members are brought together to meet with police and community leaders. They are offered help to find other options to committing crimes, but they are also told they could expect a concerted response from law enforcement if they don't change their ways.

"The main point of the message is that violence is not going to be acceptable," said Ralph Womak, a retired police officer heading Operation Ceasefire. "Some people will listen and accept services, and others will ignore it," he said.

Another call-in is scheduled for today, though the timing with the raids is a coincidence, he said. Womack said he expected the 20 people expected at today's call-in would already know about Wednesday's enforcement. "The word on the street travels quickly," he said.

Members of the Sutter Street Crips had been put on notice through the Ceasefire initiative, said Officer Joe Silva, a Police Department spokesman. "The people arrested instead chose a life of crime, intent on spreading fear and violence."

Police will continue to target gang members and their leaders through Ceasefire, he said. And the investigation into the Sutter Street Crips will continue, too, he said.

The investigation involved a collection of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Eight people were arrested in raids Wednesday morning; two more were already in custody. Two more were arrested later Wednesday.

One of the people caught up in the morning raids is accused of assaulting a peace officer, but the officer wasn't injured, Silva said. Also searched Wednesday were cells in two state prisons and a residence in Los Angeles.

In addition to robbery, burglary and assault, gang members are accused of recruiting underage girls to work as prostitutes.

Drugs, stolen property and ammunition were found during the raids, in which the Stockton police SWAT team served search warrants at four locations: in the 600 block of North Center Street, the 300 block of Northbank Court, the 2000 block of Bradford Street and the 5800 block of Hemet Avenue.

But the gang's criminal activity focused in the Cal/Park area, police said, in particular the apartment complex at 219 E. Park St.

A man in the complex who would not give his name because he was concerned about retaliation said he thought the gang activity was elsewhere in the neighborhood. "Not in front of my door," he said. If those arrested did what police said they did, the sweep was good news, the man said. But it's too soon to say it would make the neighborhood safer. "It's just been a day."

Police released a list of names of people arrested during the sweep and the crimes they are suspected of committing. The suspects and the alleged crimes are: